Scoliosis Exercises You Can Do at Home

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Scoliosis – an “S”-
or “C”-shaped curve –is generally seen in childhood, but it can also come about
in adulthood. Scoliosis in adults can arise due to a variety of reasons,
including genetics, uneven pelvic position, past spinal or joint surgeries,
knee or foot distortions, or even head injuries. Some curves are deeper than
others, and in moderate to severe cases, the means to correction is surgery. If
you suspect scoliosis, you should consult your doctor about an appropriate
treatment plan.

We spoke to Rocky Snyder,
a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist based in Santa Cruz, California,
who suggested a few exercises for people with scoliosis, as well as stretches
that may help improve dexterity.

The difference
between a typical spine and that of a person with scoliosis, he explains, is
that the former can move from side to side. For instance, when you walk, your
spine moves left and right, ultimately reverting back to the center. “People
with scoliosis can bend only in one direction, and are unable to access
movement in the opposite direction,” he explains.

Two Re-educational Stretches

Finding new ways to
move can help restore some of the imbalances of scoliosis, Snyder says. He
suggests two ways to do this. One is to drive your body in the direction it is
already bending to stretch even further. This can cause the muscle you are
stretching to pull back and slightly shorten. Scoliosis affects the ability of
the central nervous system to help muscles contract and shorten. “You need to
stretch them further to bring them to a shortened state,” says Snyder.

The second approach
involves doing the opposite: if your spine leans to your left, simply lean to
the right. This method, Snyder notes, doesn’t seem to work as well. The
stretches are meant to help muscles that have gone lax. “Imagine taking a
rubber band and keeping it stretched for a long time and then letting it go,” he
says. “It wouldn’t know how to shorten back up again.”

Three Exercises for Scoliosis

The following exercises are targeted
toward people with scoliosis. Exercise is important for overall good health,
although for people that have more than mild scoliosis, Snyder recommends a physician’s
assessment first.

Step Down and One Arm Reach

With whichever leg appears
longer when you lay on your back, step on to a small box or step.

Lower the opposite leg down
to the floor as you bend into the knee.

As you descend, raise the arm
on the same side as the lowered leg up as high as possible. For example, if
the left foot is lowering to the floor, raise the left arm.

Perform two to three sets of five
to 10 reps on this side only. Do not perform the exercise on the other
side.

Up and Down Dog

In a prone plank position
with your arms stretched out straight, push your hips back as far as
possible.

Hold this for two seconds, and
then lower your hips back down toward the floor.

Try to get as low as possible
without giving yourself back discomfort or pain.

Perform two to three sets of
five to 10 reps.

Split Stance with Arm Reach

Step forward with the
"longer" leg in front in a slightly exaggerated stride length.

Keep your torso as upright as
possible at all times.

Begin shifting your weight
back and forth, allowing the forward knee to bend as you feel the weight
shift onto it.

As you shift your weight
forward, raise the arm that is opposite of your forward leg as high as
possible to the sky.

While that arm is reaching
upward, reach the other arm back with the palm up as much as possible. This
causes the torso and spine to turn toward the side of the forward leg.

Perform this exercise only on
that side. Perform two to three sets of five to 10 reps.

Certain exercises
may be prescribed by a physician to help you with your specific structural
difference, but they are not a means for treatment. Treatment for moderate to
severe scoliosis will most likely involve surgery. Mild scoliosis however, will
usually not require significant medical attention and is not as visible to the
eye as other posture disorders.